Cool
by Noxialis
Summary: - Arthur/Merlin - Part of my Candy Hearts Series III - After a sorcerer attack, Merlin and Arthur are left to thaw out.


**Title: **Cool

**Pairing:** Merlin/Arthur

**Summary:** After another sorcerer attack, Merlin and Arthur are extremely cold. Fluff ensues.

**Notes:** I own nothing.

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Long story short, another sorcerer decided that it would be a fabulous idea to attack Camelot and take revenge for the wrongs that Uther had committed. Merlin wondered how many times this would happen before magic users started realizing that they weren't changing Uther's opinion, and that they kept failing to kill him, so maybe it would be in their best interests to lie low and use their magic for good. It seemed apparent it wasn't happening any time soon.

This latest attack had used a freezing blizzard spell, and the whole castle was encased in ice. It had been tough to focus on killing the sorcerer while trying to stay upright and shivering so hard he thought he might have been convulsing, but he had managed it. He slipped away from the body, and when the knights found the sorcerer, spear jutting out of his chest, it ended up – after much discussion and questioning – that the sorcerer probably slipped on his own ice and fell onto a spear that a knight had left propped against the wall. Merlin didn't want to think about anyone's intelligence if they actually believed that to be the most likely situation, but he was too busy rubbing his arms, trying to get feeling back into his numb fingers while he raked his brain to find a warming spell.

The servants were ordered to begin melting the ice and warming the castle, but Arthur took one look at his manservant and ordered him to begin in his chambers. The two walked together carefully through the slick hallways. Merlin glanced at Arthur once between his shivers and clattering teeth, noticing that the prince seemed much less cold that he did. Not surprising, considering Merlin's thin clothing, made for the warm spring day it was supposed to be, but Arthur had more layers, and had added a thick, wool cloak that suppressed his shivers to the barest minimum.

Merlin paid for his second of distraction when his foot slipped on the ice and he fell backwards, landing on his rump with a loud "Ow!" though he didn't feel that much pain. He wondered how numb his body could get before it was dangerous.

Arthur stopped in his tracks and turned around with a huff. "Really, Merlin, I would think you'd know how to _walk_ by now," he said, his voice teasing and smirk on his face, though he braced his feet and stretched a hand out to the man on the floor, hauling him up to his feet.

Merlin would have retorted, but his chattering teeth quickened in pace, so he settled for wrinkling his nose and giving Arthur a dramatic roll of his eyes. Arthur's eyes narrowed and he kept his grip on Merlin's wrist as they carefully made their way down the rest of the corridor until they reached Arthur's room.

Arthur unsheathed his sword and used to pommel to crack away the ice sealing the door to its frame, then shoved it open and took Merlin's hand again. He led him in front of the frozen fireplace and sat him down. Merlin looked up at him as Arthur unclasped his cloak and tucked it firmly around Merlin's shoulders, then got to work uncovering the fireplace and making sure the wood was still flammable. He grinned, curling his knees closer to his chest and wrapping the cloak tighter around himself and the let the shivers slowly lessen.

"So gallant," he teased when his teeth stopped clacking together.

"If you'd rather scrape ice off the throne, be my guest."Arthur snorted, waving a piece of flint at Merlin's face. He just smiled and shook his head, hiking the cloak up higher. He watched as Arthur finally got a fire going and walked over to the bed. He ripped the ice-coated top layer and picked up the second sheet and brought it over to where Merlin sat. Arthur settled himself beside him and wrapped the blanket around the both of them. It was cold, but it would keep the heat trapped in.

Merlin smiled at him and shuffled closer, opening one half of the cloak until he was pressed hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, with Arthur. He settled the end of the cloak over Arthur's opposite shoulder and tugged it down until it covered the prince's torso.

"It's a good thing you're not wearing chain mail." Merlin murmured, almost shuddering at the thought of how cold the metal rings would be against his skin. Arthur hummed in response and leaned closer, turning and tilting his head to press a cold kiss to Merlin's ear, which burned pink in response.

After a couple of hours, Arthur's room was pleasantly warm and the two had shed the wool cloak, though both were reluctant to move from their cozy – if now a bit damp – spot on the floor. Warm and with a fully-functioning brain, Merlin remembered a heating spell that he immediately cast over the whole castle and cuddled closer to Arthur, who sighed drowsily and pressed his cheek further into Merlin's hair.


End file.
